Improvement in springs for watch-cases



1. LAURENT & l. MENEGAY.

Springs for Watch-Cases.

NO. Patented1an.28.1873.

k- AM. PHom-L/THUGHAPHIG C0. Nx(aseo/?-Els- PROCESS.)

:urTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.'rAcQnEs LAURENT, or NEW YORK, AND JULEs MENEGAY, or BRooK- Lrn, N. v.

HWROVEMENT lN SPRINGS FOR WATCH-CASES.

Speeieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,348, dated January2S, 1873.

To all whom 'it may concern.:

Be it known that we, JACQUES LAURENT, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, and JULES MENEGAY, ofthe city of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State oi' New York, have invented an Improvement in Springsfor latch-Cases, of which the following is a speeitication:

rllhis invention relates more particularly to the springs employed forthrowing open the covers oi' watch-eases. Such springs are made ot' theform of an are or bow to lie between the watch movement and the case,and have commonly been fastened at one end only and had the tongue orlip which acts on the hinge ot the cover formed on the other end. Ourimprovement consists in the arrangement of the lip or tongue at or aboutthe middle ofthe length of the spring which is secured within the caseat both ends. In this way the spring becomes a double acting one, andit1 it should breal; on either side oi' the lip is still operative. rEheimprovement further consists in combining with such spring, in one andthe saine piece, the spring and catch for securing the cover of the casewhen closed.

In the accompanyingdrawing, Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate theapplication of our improved spring in a form to serve the two purposesof opening-spring and cateh-sprin Fi g. l is a central section ot' awatch-case, having' the spring applied, taken through the cover andhandle. Fig. 2 is asimilar section taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a facial section through the band or ring ot' said case. Fig. t isa plan view of a spring illustrating a inodilieation oi' our invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the fourfigures.

A is what is termed the band ot the ease. 'it is et' the usual form andis furnished with a handle, B. it has hinged to itin the ordinary mannera cover, D is the spring which constitutes my invention. lt consists oi'a thin strip otsteel, which may be either straight longitudinally orbent into a circular form of a greater radius than the interior of thewatchcase. lt is applied within the band oi' thc wntehcase, as shown inthe drawing, its ends lapping as therein represented. On one end of thespring, that which is outermost, there is formed a catch or fastening,a., ot' latch-like form, which, when the cover is closed, hooks over aange therein, and so secures it. rihe middle portion of the spring isreduced in width, as shown atf, so that it is capable 0i yieldingtransversely. Opposite the middle of the hinge of the cover G there isformed on the adjacent edge of the spring D at the middle of its lengtha lip, c, which bears against the cover itself close to the hingethereof, and by the elasticity of the spring forces it open. As thecover is closed the narrow or reduced portion fof the spring D isdepressed, and at the same time is forced slightly inward. Vhe'n closedthe cover is fastened by means of the hook a., projecting over itsflange. As soon as the catch a is untastened by pressing on the head ofthe push-pin ordinarily furnished on a watch for the purpose, theelasticity of the depressed portion F of the spring causes it to recoverits normal condition, and by means of the lip c the cover is opened.

When it is not desired to make the same spring serve as theopeningspring and the catch-spring, we make our improved opening springofthe form shown in Fig. L -viz., that of a bow or are with the lip ortongue o in the middle ot its length. This spring has small iianges c cat its ends, and will be confined at both ends by being pla-ced betweenthe watchmovement and the band A of the case, and will operate on thecover in the same way as the hoop-sprin g D. The breakage of either oi'these spr-in gs between the lip or tongue o and one end will notinterfere with its action as an opening-spring, for, by reason ofitsbeing secured at both ends, the unbroken portion between the saidtongue or lip c and the other end will still constitute a spring which,though weaker than when the other halt' was unbroken, is yet operative.

Claims.

l. The spring for opening the cover of a watch-case, composed ot' an areor bow, or greater or less portion ot' a hoop of steel with the lip ortongue c, at or near the middle ot" its length, substantially as hereindescribed.

2. The combination, with the band or hoopspring having the lip or tongueo at or near the middle ot' its length, of the catch c formed at one endof the said spring, substantially as and for the purpose hereindescribed.

JACQUES LAURENT. JULES MENEGAY.

Witnesses MicrrAEL RYAN, FRED. llAvrins.

